Lavender Graduation tradition celebrates LGBT students

In late March, Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas made waves with news that the school would be hosting its first Lavender Graduation.

It was a big move for what is perhaps the most LGBT-unfriendly university – its student Senate passed a bill that would allow students to opt out of funding their GLBT Resource Center – so it’s unsurprising that there was a bit of backlash, prompting national sites like Slate to comment.

The ceremony has come and gone, but some previously unfamiliar with Lavender Graduations might wonder: what exactly is it? What does it entail? Who puts it on?

With the help of students and LGBT centers at schools across the country, USA TODAY College has put together this Lavender Graduation explanation to answer all of your questions.

What is a Lavender Graduation?

As defined by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a Lavender Graduation (or “Lav Grad,” if you’re feeling fun) is “an annual ceremony conducted on numerous campuses to honor lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and ally students and to acknowledge their achievements and contributions to the University.”

In other words, it’s an informal part of commencement that doesn’t replace the traditional graduation ceremony, but complements it for LGBT students and allies. There are other ceremonies like Lavender Graduation – primarily for members of other minority communities.

Though they’ve been around since the ‘90s, Lavender Graduations have become more and more popular in recent years, with USA TODAY taking note of their rise in 2006.

When and where did Lavender Graduation start?

Short answer: The first Lavender Graduation took place at the University of Michigan in 1995.

Long answer: Jim Toy, the co-founder of UM’s Spectrum Center, used to hold “recognition ceremonies” for gay students off-campus, according to Spectrum Center Director Jackie Simpson, It wasn’t until 1995 that the campus began a formal process.

According to the HRC, Dr. Ronni Sanlo designed the first Lavender Graduation as a response to not being permitted to see her biological children graduate because she was a lesbian. She was working at the University of Michigan at the time, and put the program together for what was then only three students. USC also hosted its first Lavender Graduation that year. In 1997, she took the program to UCLA and began it there.

Within six years of its genesis, the Lavender Graduation program was in place at 45 different schools. According to Simpson, the program at UM has expanded to approximately 40 graduates every year – far more than the original trio.

What takes place during a Lavender Graduation?

In her introduction for the University of Michigan’s ceremony, Spectrum Center Director Jackie Simpson sums it up best by saying the ceremony “is many things: a time for recognition and inspiration; of connection and accomplishment; and most of all of celebration.”

Like most commencement proceedings, the Lavender Graduation features a commencement speaker. Sometimes, as happens at UM, it’s a student delivering the keynote. Elsewhere, it’s someone with a connection to the university, like the University of Idaho’s speaker this year. USC’s list is particularly impressive, including RENT star Anthony Rapp and trans activist Janet Mock in past years.

“Her emotional reflections about the difficulties she faced while she was a student here was a powerful reminder of not only how much has changed on campus and around the world, but how much we can change in the future as well,” he says. “Her message about embracing yourself before creating change in the world is something that’s certainly is going to stick with me for a long time.”

Who coordinates the celebrations?

Usually an on-campus LGBT group, like the Spectrum Center at UM, or the LGBTQ Resource Center at Georgetown. But according to Sivagami Subbaraman, the director of said center at Georgetown, students like Deneen are a “central piece” of the planning process. In fact, Deneen has helped with the planning of each Lavender Graduation since his freshman year.

“Being a part of the LGBTQ Resource Center staff for the past four years has made me appreciate the incredible amount of work that goes into planning such a beautiful ceremony,” Deneen says. “Not only has the event itself grown larger since my freshman year, but the amount of close friends and colleagues I’ve celebrated with has grown each year as well, making each year all the more significant than the last.”

Does one have to be LGBT to participate?

Typically, the answer is no. The ally presence at Lavender Graduation is usually strong – something Deneen says was important.

“Our straight allies strengthen the Georgetown LGBT community, and they ought to be recognized for the many contributions they make,” he says. “Having my closest friends, queer and straight, surrounding me … made the experience all the more significant and meaningful.”

I want to participate – does that mean I have to miss my graduation?

No – at least, not at any school we could find that has a Lavender Graduation. Special graduation celebrations like this one often take place well before the formal commencement proceedings. Some have even already taken place. Check out some sample reactions from Lavender Graduations this year below.